Aire Valley Homes Helps Build Employment Opportunities in Leeds

Published by JenCooke for National Federation of ALMOs in Housing and also in Communities, Education

Innovative New Programme in Leeds Delivers Success by Securing Jobs and Improving the local Area

With the number of unemployed in Leeds topping 19,000 earlier this year, one housing organisation in the City has launched a successful initiative which is not only helping people return to work whilst improving their local communities but has also delivered huge efficiency savings through partnership work.

Social housing organisation Aire Valley Homes has worked with environmental regeneration charity Groundwork Leeds, Leeds City Council and Yorkshire Forward, to launch the Building Opportunities to Success programme. Created to provide a package of high quality vocational training in landscaping and construction, the programme has been designed for 16-25 year olds and is already delivering significant training and employment benefits for young people across South and South East Leeds through local regeneration work.

Almost 50 people have been assisted in their skills development through the scheme to date and completed a tailored ‘back to work plan’ following which eight people entered full time paid employment. As a direct result of the project, improvements have already been made to 64 green spaces in disadvantaged areas on Aire Valley Homes’ estates and 17 local community groups have received support

The programme provides the opportunity for youngsters from some of the City’s most challenging social housing estates to gain work experience and training from a wide range of employers spanning the construction, housing and environmental industries across public, private and voluntary sectors. Following a 12 week placement trainees are ready to move into employment, ‘on the job’ training or apprenticeships, with local Building Contractors and Aire Valley’s Construction Partner Connaught as well having the opportunity to gain qualifications in literacy, numeracy and ICT skills.

Through partnership working and shared responsibilities Aire Valley Homes has been able to deliver the project extremely cost-effectively at just six percent of the original anticipated cost.
 

Jason Lupton, a local resident who completed a 12 week course and worked as one of Aire Valley Homes’ Environmental Caretakers, said: “I was struggling to find employment in the area. I saw the Building Opportunities to Success flyer at the Job Centre, enrolled onto the 12 week training course and was thrilled to be offered a placement as one of Aire Valley’s Environmental Caretaking Team following my initial 12 week training with Groundwork.”

Unique in its approach, the programme contributes to the Government’s Safer, Stronger Communities agenda by putting local people at the centre of directing the training programme’s workload through support from Groundwork’s community coordinators.

Mark Wheelwright, of Aire Valley Homes, said: “The programme is targeted at recruiting 16-25 year olds from some of the most disadvantaged communities in the city, engaging them in a programme of training that offers a service back to the community. The scheme will work closely with local people and the organisation’s ‘Area Panels’ helping to direct the work back into the communities in which the trainees live.”

The programme aims to support regeneration initiatives across the South and South East areas of Leeds, dealing with issues of multiple deprivation and worklessness, whilst positively contributing to improvements in the public realm and local environment.

As a direct result of the Building Opportunities to Success programme:

• 1,300 out of work people have been contacted about the scheme
• 64 improvements were made to green spaces in disadvantaged areas on Aire Valley Homes estates
• 17 local community groups received support
• 48 people were assisted in their skills development and completed a tailored ‘back to work plan’
• 8 people have moved from unemployment into paid employment

For more information about the Building Opportunities to Employment programme please contact Mark Wheelwright at Aire Valley Homes on 0113 2141940 or Dawn Lawrence at Groundwork Leeds on 0113 2380601